Sport ball casing and methods of manufacturing the casing

• US 8,708,847 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2011
• Issued: 04/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Berggren, Scott R., Johnson, Scott W., White, Vincent F., Chavez, Eleazar C.
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, STEVEN B
• Application Number:
  US13/170,912
• Publication Number:
  US 20120258824A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,036 Days
• Field of Search: 473/598, 473/599, 473600-605, 473/593, 473/594, 473/596, 473/597, 473/607
• US Class Current: 473/604
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0025 Football
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 41/04 Closures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 41/08 Ball covers; Closures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 41/085 Closures
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 41/10 Bladder and cover united
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 45/00 Apparatus or methods for manufacturing balls working of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/02 by heating, with or without pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/04 Dielectric heating, e.g. high-frequency welding , i.e. radio frequency welding of plastic materials having dielectric properties, e.g. PVC
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/08 using ultrasonic vibrations non-plastics element to plastics elements B29C65/645
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/18 using heated tools
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/26 Hot fluid
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/48 using adhesives , i.e. using supplementary joining material; solvent bonding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/62 Stitching
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/72 by combined operations or combined techniques, e.g. welding and stitching
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/74 by welding and severing , or by joining and severing, the severing being performed in the area to be joined, next to the area to be joined, in the joint area or next to the joint area
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/743 using the same tool for both joining and severing, said tool being monobloc or formed by several parts mounted together and forming a monobloc B29C65/2046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/7808 in the form of holes or slots B29C65/7814 takes precedence; holding or clamping means cooperating with specially formed features of at least one of the parts to be joined B29C65/7844
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/0326 Cutting, e.g. by using waterjets, or perforating using heat B29C66/0346
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/0346 Cutting or perforating, e.g. burning away by using a laser or using hot air simultaneously joining and severing using a fluid B29C65/7471; simultaneously welding and severing using radiation B29C65/7473
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/133 Fin-type joints, the parts to be joined being flexible the parts to be joined being rigid B29C66/1312
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/24249 : forming a specific polygon not provided for in B29C66/24241 - B29C66/24243
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/3452 : Making complete joints by combining partial joints
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/4326 : for making hollow articles or hollow-preforms, e.g. half-shells
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/71 : characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined welding bar compositions B29C65/125
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/712 : the composition of one of the parts to be joined being different from the composition of the other part
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/72327 : consisting of natural products or their composites, not provided for in B29C66/72321 - B29C66/72324
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/72341 : for gases
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/727 : being porous, e.g. foam
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/729 : Textile or other fibrous material made from plastics
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/7292 : coated B29C66/72941 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/73921 : characterised by the materials of both parts being thermoplastics
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/81422 : being convex
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/81427 : comprising a single ridge, e.g. for making a weakening line; comprising a single tooth
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/83221 : cooperating reciprocating tools, each tool reciprocating along one axis
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 22/02 : Inflatable articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 22/04 : Spherical articles, e.g. balls B29D22/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2027/06 : PVC, i.e. polyvinylchloride
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2075/00 : Use of PU, i.e. polyureas or polyurethanes or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2711/08 : Leather
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/545 : Football balls
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/737 : Articles provided with holes, e.g. grids, sieves nets B29L2028/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/10 : Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/108 : Flash, trim or excess removal

Abstract

A sport ball may include a casing and a bladder. The casing includes a plurality of panels having edge areas joined to each other with bonds, and the edge areas project toward an exterior of the ball. The bladder is located within the casing. In another aspect, the casing includes a first panel and a second panel that each have an exterior surface facing outward and an opposite interior surface facing inward. The interior surface of the first panel is bonded to the interior surface of the second panel to form a seam that joins the first panel and the second panel together. A method of manufacturing the casing may include forming thermal bonds between the panels.

Claims

1. A sport ball comprising:

a casing that includes a plurality of panels having edge areas joined to each other with bonds, the edge areas projecting toward an exterior of the ball; and

a bladder located within the casing;

wherein the plurality of panels includes a first panel and a second panel joined to the first panel at a seam; and

wherein the first panel has a layered configuration that includes (a) a first layer forming a portion of an exterior surface of the first panel, (b) a second layer formed from a polymer foam material and having a lesser thickness adjacent to the seam than in areas spaced from the seam, and (c) a third layer forming a portion of an interior surface of the first panel.

2. The sport ball recited in claim 1, wherein an exterior surface of the casing defines indentations between the panels.

3. The sport ball recited in claim 1, wherein a restriction structure is located between the casing and the bladder.

4. The sport ball recited in claim 1, wherein the panels have a pentagonal shape.

5. The sport ball recited in claim 1, wherein the panels include a thermoplastic polymer material and the bonds are thermal bonds.

6. A sport ball comprising:

a casing including a first panel and a second panel that each have an exterior surface facing outward and an opposite interior surface facing inward, the interior surface of the first panel being bonded to the interior surface of the second panel to form a seam that joins the first panel and the second panel together; and

a bladder located within the casing;

wherein the first panel has a layered configuration that includes (a) a first layer forming a portion of the exterior surface of the first panel, (b) a second layer formed from a polymer foam material and having a lesser thickness adjacent to the seam than in areas spaced from the seam, and (c) a third layer forming a portion of the interior surface of the first panel.

7. The sport ball recited in claim 6, wherein at least one of the first panel and the second panel includes a thermoplastic polymer material that forms a thermal bond at the seam.

8. The sport ball recited in claim 6, wherein edges of the first panel and the second panel form a portion of an outer surface of the casing.

9. The sport ball recited in claim 6, wherein a restriction structure is located between the casing and the bladder.

10. The sport ball recited in claim 6, wherein the first panel and the second panel each have a lesser thickness adjacent to the seam than in areas spaced from the seam.

11. The sport ball recited in claim 6, wherein the polymer foam material includes collapsed cells in an area having the lesser thickness.

12. The sport ball recited in claim 6, wherein an exterior surface of the casing defines indentations between the panels.

13. A sport ball comprising:

a casing formed of a plurality of panels including a first panel and a second panel;

the first panel having a first exterior surface facing outward and a first interior surface facing inward opposite the first exterior surface;

the second panel having a second exterior surface facing outward and a second interior surface facing inward opposite the second exterior surface;

the first panel including a first edge and a first flange extending at the first edge;

the second panel including a second edge and a second flange extending at the second edge;

a bladder located within the casing, the bladder being configured to be inflated with a pressurized gas; and

a restriction structure located between the bladder and the casing, the restriction structure having a limited degree of stretch;

wherein the first flange and the second flange bend in an outward direction, the first flange and the second flange being bonded to each other thereby forming a seam between the first panel and the second panel;

wherein the first panel has a layered configuration that includes (a) a first layer forming a portion of the exterior surface of the first panel, (b) a second layer formed from a polymer foam material, and (c) a third layer forming a portion of the interior surface of the first panel; and

wherein the second layer has a first thickness in a first area adjacent to the seam and a second thickness in a second area spaced from the seam, the first thickness being less than the second thickness.

14. The sport ball recited in claim 13, wherein an exterior surface of the casing defines indentations between the panels.

15. The sport ball recited in claim 13, wherein the first flange and the second flange are bonded to each other by thermal bonding.

16. The sport ball recited in claim 15, wherein at least one of the first panel and the second panel includes a thermoplastic polymer material that forms a thermal bond at the seam.

17. The sport ball recited in claim 13, wherein the first panel and the second panel each have a lesser thickness adjacent to the seam than in areas spaced from the seam.

18. The sport ball recited in claim 13, wherein the polymer foam material of the second layer includes collapsed cells in the first area.

19. A sport ball comprising:

a casing formed of a plurality of panels, the panels having central portions and peripheral portions, the peripheral portions being joined to each other with bonds thereby forming seams of the sport ball;

a bladder located within the casing, the bladder being configured to be inflated with a pressurized gas; and

a restriction structure located between the bladder and the casing, the restriction structure having a limited degree of stretch;

wherein the peripheral portions of the plurality of panels include edges;

wherein the edges of the plurality of panels form portions of an outer surface of the sport ball at the seams;

wherein the casing has a layered configuration that includes (a) a first layer forming a portion of the exterior surface of the casing, (b) a second layer formed from a polymer foam material, and (c) a third layer forming a portion of the interior surface of the casing; and

wherein the second layer has a first thickness in first areas adjacent to the seams and a second thickness in second areas spaced from the seams, the first thickness being less than the second thickness.

20. The sport ball recited in claim 19, wherein the seams are recessed below a majority of the outer surface of the sport ball, forming indentations at the seams between the plurality of panels.

21. The sport ball recited in claim 19, wherein the panels are bonded to each other by thermal bonding.

22. The sport ball recited in claim 21, wherein the panels include a thermoplastic polymer material that forms thermal bonds at the seams.

23. The sport ball recited in claim 19, wherein the polymer foam material of the second layer includes collapsed cells in the first areas adjacent to the seams.